740.0011 European War 1939/8459½
Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)99
It is believed that it would be helpful were officers of the Department in conversations with Admiral Nomura and members of his staff, and officers of the Embassy in Tokyo in conversations with Japanese officials, to emphasize that Government circles in this country believe that Great Britain will not be defeated, and, further, that the United States is obviously going to do all that it appropriately can toward seeing to it that Great Britain is not defeated.
A second point that might be made in those same contacts is that Italy has gotten into nothing but trouble by her following of German leadership and that Japan has a good chance of the same if she continues to do likewise.
- Noted by the Secretary of State and Under Secretary of State.↩